Security sources revealed that the explosion occurred in the parking area near the Islamabad High Court early Tuesday afternoon, November 11. Investigators are treating it as a possible suicide attack.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned what he described as a “suicide blast” in a statement, calling the incident “a cowardly act against peace.”

The explosion took place inside one of the city’s most sensitive areas the judicial complex surrounded by key government offices and security checkpoints. The location is usually under tight surveillance due to its high-profile nature.

Though no group has officially claimed responsibility, intelligence sources suspect the attack could be linked to militants associated with the Afghan Taliban and India.

Reacting to the tragedy, Pakistan’s Defence Minister described the situation as a “state of war,” urging the nation to take this as a “wake-up call” regarding peace talks with Afghanistan.

Pakistan has witnessed a worrying rise in militant violence since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan government of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), an allegation Kabul denies.

Just last month, deadly clashes broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border — the worst in years after failed peace talks in Turkey aimed at curbing cross-border militancy.

The Defence Minister added that the latest attack “sends a message from Kabul,” warning that Pakistan has the “strength and will to respond decisively.”

This tragic blast comes barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked a cadet college in northwestern Pakistan, signaling a disturbing resurgence of coordinated militant violence across the country.